Reviewed by Paul Stuart

For the retro gamer, there is arguably no better console than the Playstation Portable to relive pixelated days of yore. Backed by a slew of ‘Greatest Hits’ titles to kill even the longest of waiting room visits, the PSP is an old school gamer’s dream.

Thus, little pangs of side-scrolling happiness burst forth upon discovering Irem was giving arguably the greatest space shooter of all time one more whirl. In writing this review, I can’t believe it’s been twenty years since I first kicked arcade ass on the original ‘R-Type.’ (Damn, that game was mofo hard, but awesome in oh-so-many-ways.)

Color me both surprised and simultaneously disappointed to discover the series’ latest attempt – ‘R-Type Command’ for the PSP - was sans the fire button frenzy trademark of the series. Instead, Irem and Atlus opted for turn based space combat. Insert a much deserved: ‘WTF?’

Initial thoughts? For a maiden tactical voyage, holy mama, ‘R-Type Command’ owns a steep learning curve. Expect to both read the manual cover-to-cover plus analyze in-game menus/options down to the letter.

The good news is, return on investment is enormous. Simply put, this is a helluva game. ‘R-Type Command’ packs the deepest tactical engine I’ve ever countered, back by gorgeous cinematics and an unbelievable soundtrack. And…hell, yeah!...you can finally play as the Bydo (bad guys).

If you’ve tackled strategy games in the past, ‘R-Type Command’s’ hexagon board, turn-based system should be old hat. What makes this game stand out, however, is ‘R-Type Command’s’ approach to this scheme. Even on a board containing hundreds of warring units, every single ship packs an individual offensive/defensive system. Throw in the ability to deploy decoys, season pilots over missions, seize enemy technology...DAMN, this game is robust.

Alluded to above, battles both look and sound great. Killer 3-D movies supplement battles, supported by a beautiful menu system and killer score. Playing ‘R-Type Command’ reminded me a great deal of the polish behind the PSP’s two ‘Wipeout’ titles. There’s something ridiculously rewarding about playing through a game where developer commitment is evident.

Still, if you’re short on patience and/or withstanding a high learning curve, perhaps it’s best to look elsewhere. You’ve been warned: each mission can take up to an hour to complete. Think ‘Advance Wars’ with spaceships.

Related, I would be remiss not to mention the slew of mediocre reviews on competing sites for this same title. My gut tells me the above paragraph’s sentiments had a lot to do with this negativity. I can only wonder if the learning curve did these folks in.

SUMMARY: ‘R-Type Command’ is an unexpected strategy gem from a series known for a completely different genre. A steep learning curve and complicated menus bear fruit to a surprisingly robust game and experience. Still, gamers unwilling to wait out this investment might find better options elsewhere.

CONCLUSION: 8.5 [HEX-BATTLING BYDO’s] OUT OF 10.